The Teaspoon Study - Telefitting Spinal Cord Stimulation for Pain

Description

Spinal cord stimulation modulates the nervous system to effectively block pain signals originating from the back and legs. Spinal cord stimulation has been shown to improve chronic pain, improve quality of life, and reduce disability. Unfortunately, spinal cord stimulation has a high trial failure rate and a high long-term failure rate. This study consists of a prospective cohort of patients clinically scheduled to undergo spinal cord stimulation for the treatment of chronic back pain or radiculopathy. Participants will undergo a structured optimization evaluating existing types of stimulation (tonic, burst, and multistim). Each participant will try out all types of available stimulation but be blinded to the type. Over the course of four months, each participant will evaluate each type of stimulation by reporting daily pain scores. Thompson sampling will be used to identify which setting produces the biggest improvement in pain and recommend it for future use. Participants will follow up routinely to collect laboratory, behavioral, and survey responses to test for the feasibility of obtaining data explaining pain phenotype.

Conditions

Spinal Cord Injuries, Chronic Pain

Study Overview

Study Details

Study overview

Spinal cord stimulation modulates the nervous system to effectively block pain signals originating from the back and legs. Spinal cord stimulation has been shown to improve chronic pain, improve quality of life, and reduce disability. Unfortunately, spinal cord stimulation has a high trial failure rate and a high long-term failure rate. This study consists of a prospective cohort of patients clinically scheduled to undergo spinal cord stimulation for the treatment of chronic back pain or radiculopathy. Participants will undergo a structured optimization evaluating existing types of stimulation (tonic, burst, and multistim). Each participant will try out all types of available stimulation but be blinded to the type. Over the course of four months, each participant will evaluate each type of stimulation by reporting daily pain scores. Thompson sampling will be used to identify which setting produces the biggest improvement in pain and recommend it for future use. Participants will follow up routinely to collect laboratory, behavioral, and survey responses to test for the feasibility of obtaining data explaining pain phenotype.

The Teaspoon Study - Telefitting Spinal Cord Stimulation for Pain

The Teaspoon Study - Telefitting Spinal Cord Stimulation for Pain

Condition
Spinal Cord Injuries
Intervention / Treatment

-

Contacts and Locations

Minneapolis

University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, 55414

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

For general information about clinical research, read Learn About Studies.

Eligibility Criteria

  • * 22 years of age or older
  • * Scheduled to undergo spinal cord stimulation
  • * English speaker
  • * Baseline pain rating (NRS/VAS) \>=6
  • * Scheduled for permanent implantation only without trial
  • * Presence of pacemakers or other neurostimulators
  • * Pregnant
  • * Inability to read or use smart phone
  • * Individuals who are unable to consent
  • * Employees or students of PI
  • * Prisoners

Ages Eligible for Study

22 Years to

Sexes Eligible for Study

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Collaborators and Investigators

University of Minnesota,

David Darrow, MD, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, University of Minnesota

Study Record Dates

2026-10-01